Winterstein, William (1843-1917)

WINTERSTEIN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/21/2019 at 17:07:22

William Winterstein
Dec 28, 1843 - Jan 11, 1917

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.497)
WILLIAM WINTERSTIEN was born in Johnson Co., Iowa, December 28, 1843, son of William Winterstien, Sr., a native of Ohio. His grandfather, Nicholas Winterstien, a soldieer of the War of 1812, brought his family to Johnson County, Iowa, becoming early settlers of that place. He and his son William and others surveyed the wagon road from Iowa City to Cedar Rapids with breaking plows and ox teams, William driving one of the teams. Among other early settlers in Johnson County, there was a family by the name of LARAMORE who came from Virginia. Mr. And Mrs. Laramore were the parents of seven daughters, some of whom remained in the East. Their daughter, SUSAN LARAMORE, became the wife of William Winterstien Sr., and by him had ten children, four of whom are now living, viz.: William Jr., our subject; Jerome W., who resides in Waveland Township, Pottawattamie County; Philip, a resident of Hastings, Nebraska; and Franklin, who lives near Goldendale, Washington.

Mr. And Mrs. Winterstien in 1850 went overland to California with ox teams, spending the first winter at Carson City, then called Gold Canon. After a sojourn of six years in California, they returned to Iowa, coming via water to New York and thence to Johnson County. They subsequently went to Kansas where they lived some ten or twelve yers, and then removed to Washington, where they now reside. The father is 74 years old and the mother is 72. During the Late War, Mr. Winterstien enlisted in the 22nd Iowa Infantry as a recruit.

WILLIAM WINTERSTIEN JR. was reared on a farm in Johnson County, Iowa, and when the great Rebellion broke out, he entered in the service of his country and fought bravely all through the War. He enlisted in August 1862 in Company H, 22nd Iowa Infantry, and the first battle he was in was that of Port Gibson near Grand Gulf. The bursting of a shell near his head caused a deafness in his right ear from which he has never recovered. At that time, his regiment was supporting the First Iowa Battery. Mr. Winterstien was afterward in the battles of Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, the charge 19th and 22nd of May, siege of Vicksburg, Winchester, Virginia, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. He was honorably discharged at Savannah, Georgia, July 25, 1865.

After the War, Mr. Winterstien returned to Johnson County, Iowa, where he resided until 1870 when he removed to Benton County, same state. In 1871 he went to Montgomery County and settled 12 miles northwest of Red Oak. Three years later, in 1874, he came to Pottaattamie County and settled on his present farm in section 28, Wright Township. It was then wild land but the well-directed efforts of Mr. Sinterstien have caused it to assume a different appearance. He has a story and a half frame residence, 16 X 25 feet, located on a natural building site, surrounded by a grove of two acres. He also has other farm buildings and improvements. His home farm consists of 80 acres, and he owns another well improved 80 acres in Waveland Township.

June 10, 1869, in Johnson County, Mr. Winterstien was married to CATHERINE LOUISE BURNETT, a native of Ohio. Her father, JOHN BURNETT, was born in Ohio, son of JOHN BURNETT SR. and her mother, nee ANNA ELIZA VENESS, was born in York County, Pennsylvania. Mr. And Mrs. Burnett came to Iowa about the year 1850 and settled in Cedar County where they spent the residue of their lives. They reared five children, namely: Thomas, Catherine L., George, Smith, and Charles. Mrs. Winterstien was reared and educated in Cedar County. She and her husband have nine children, viz.: Grant, Eugene, William Arthur, Ethel, Kate, Thomas B., Ray, Ben Harrison and Susan.

Politically Mr. Winterstien is a Republican. He is a member of the G.A.R., Robert Worthington Post No. 9. He joined the Iowa City Post. He is associated with the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Winterstien is a man in the prime of life, is frank and cordial in his manner, and in honorable in all his dealings. (end)

[Note to Researchers: Many members of the Winterstien family are buried at the Center Ridge Church Cemetery, just across the Pottawattamie County line into Montgomery County, Iowa. Others are buried in the Griswold, Iowa, cemetery. There is also one burial in the Whipple Cemetery, Wright Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, as follows: "Our Darling Baby, Infant, son of Eugene and Susan Winterstein, August 30, 1905."]